The introduction of The Disney Channel in 1983 saw the expansion of the Disney empire to an even wider audience, producing films, TV series, and animated shows that would prove hugely popular with younger viewers. Disney Channel became a phenomenon for young people and birthed endless successful franchises which would become inescapable in pop culture. Disney was already dominating most areas of pop culture and media, and modern children’s TV would prove to be no exception.

Before the launch of the Disney Channel, the company was already synonymous with the world of animation through the generation and genre-defining animated shorts featuring the likes of Mickey Mouse and their series of iconic feature films, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves to the various Disney Renaissance films. It’s no surprise that this success continued throughout Disney’s future projects and enjoyed huge success with the implementation of modern animated series.

Updated June 12, 2023: If you can't get enough of all things Disney, you'll be happy to know we've updated this list with additional content and shows.

The 2000s saw a huge boom in success for animated series, with animated shows such as Kim Possible and The Proud Family becoming huge successes, becoming part of the weekly routines for children across the globe. Now, with the massive popularity of Disney+, a large swath of shows from the older generation's childhoods are immortalized in the streaming age. With that in mind, here is a collection of the best Disney animated shows from the first decade of the 21st century.

9 The Buzz on Maggie

The Buzz on Maggie
Walt Disney Television Animation

This sometimes forgotten piece of Disney Channel's history follows the titular Maggie Pesky, a teenage fly with lofty ambitions to become a rock star and move on past the mundanity of her family and the suburban community of an expired milk carton. And in keeping with the commonplace of most children's animated shows of the time, Maggie must also balance her individual ambitions and familial home life with the struggles of middle school and all that comes with it in the form of Buzzdale Academy. The Buzz on Maggie often explored the concepts of finding one's sense of individuality while coexisting in a communal environment and did so through sharp slapstick writing and a variety of mild gross-out gags.

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The mid-00s series was created by Dave Polsky, best known for his work as a writer on Scary Movie 2 and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. The series had a short duration on the air for the Disney Channel, lasting a single season from June 2005 to May 2006. As well the series is among the number of Disney original projects that haven't found their way onto the Disney+ streaming service.

8 Dave the Barbarian

The cast of Dave the Barbarian
Buena Vista Television

Set in an anachronistic adaptation of the Middle Ages, Dave the Barbarian, the titular character, while responsible for protecting his homeland while his parents, the King and Queen of Udrogoth, are fighting evil across the world. Though the conflict of the show comes from Dave only being in the position of defender because of his strong physical appearance while being more of an artistic and sensitive type of person who is averse to pain and physical confrontation.

The rest of the main ensemble is made up of Dave's materialistic older sister Candy, his rambunctious younger sister Fang, and the dimwitted sorcerer Uncle Oswidge. The series had a narrator (voiced by Jeff Bennett) that frequently broke the fourth wall and communicated with the characters of the show, a primary source of comedy for the program. Dave the Barbarian was created by Doug Landale and ran for a single season throughout the year 2004.

7 The Emperor's New School

The Emperor's New School
The Walt Disney Company 

A format popularized by the Disney Channel in the '00s was the continuation of celebrated animated movies in the form of a television series. One primary example was The Emperor's New School, created by Mark Dindal, serving as a sequel to the cult classic animated film The Emperor’s New Groove. The series focuses on the continued adventures of protagonist Kuzco, now voiced by J.P. Manoux, who replaced David Spade (though a majority of the original film cast does return to reprise their roles for the sequel series). The Emperor's New School is based within the Kuzco Academy, the schooling he must complete to become the emperor of the new Kuzconian empire. The series proved to be hugely popular with target audiences and ran for two series.

Viewing figures were strong for its era, with 1.3 million children between the ages of six and 11, as well as 12 million tweens (aged between nine and 11) tuning in. The show subsequently continued to draw high ratings in reruns after the first two seasons ended. The Emperor’s New School offered a slapstick and self-aware comedy style that stood out from other shows on the network during its time on the air.

6 Brandy & Mr. Whiskers

Brandy & Mr. Whiskers
Buena Vista Television

Following the misadventures of the eponymous offbeat pair, Brandy & Mr. Whiskers is an underrated yet entertaining series that remains a favorite for those who grew up with it. The show centers on the pampered pooch (Brandy) and high-strung rabbit (Mr. Whiskers) as they find themselves marooned in the Amazon Rainforest and are forced to depend on one another and other animals in the area for survival. And as time goes on, the animals' desire to return home changes into a unique opportunity to build a market economy-based society among those living in the Amazon.

Created by sitcom writer Russell Marcus, the playful program debuted in 2004 and ran for two successful seasons and featured the voice talent of Kaley Cuoco and Charlie Adler as the mismatched duo. Despite being lesser-known than some of the other shows on the list (the show has curiously been omitted from the Disney+ streaming service), Brandy & Mr. Whiskers still holds a place in the hearts of Disney Channel fans, and it even won a Daytime Emmy Award for "individual achievement in animation" in 2005.

5 American Dragon: Jake Long

American Dragon Jake Long
Buena Vista Television 

Another classic Disney Channel animation from the 2000s was American Dragon: Jake Long, created by Jeff Goode. The series is set in Manhattan and follows Chinese-American teenager Jake Long, who possesses the ability to transform into a mystical dragon. The show follows his difficult balance of the everyday pressures of being a teenager in America while also training to be able to protect other magical creatures that reside in the area from an evil cult of ninjas.

The premise provides for many comedic moments as he battles against forces of evil, all while discovering his identity and generally making the awkward blunders teenagers do. American Dragon: Jake Long feels more mature than its competitors in the Disney sphere and was highly successful at drawing in audiences during its two-season run as well as through reruns on Disney Channel. Yet the series' biggest legacy might be the drastic change in animation style between seasons one and two that upset many fans.

4 Lilo and Stitch: The Series

Lilo and Stitch The Series
Buena Vista Television 

This next entry follows the same formula that proved popular of adapting an already popular movie franchise into a series. Lilo and Stitch: The Series was developed for television by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. The series saw the titular duo teaming up to catch the remaining 625 experiments that proceeded Stitch. It introduced many wonderful, imaginative experiments to the series.

Related: Lilo & Stitch: Why the Movie Is Beloved by Neurodivergent Audiences

Debuting shortly after the theatrical film Lilo and Stitch, the series ran for two seasons and had several crossover episodes with other successful Disney animations such as Kim Possible and American Dragon: Jake Long. Lilo and Stitch: The Series was very popular and existed as a welcome and enjoyable addition to the Lilo and Stitch franchise.

3 Phineas and Ferb

Phineas and Ferb sitting under a tree
Disney

Towards the later end of the 2000s, Disney found success in Phineas and Ferb, which began in 2007 and ran until 2015. The show was created by Dan Povenmire and Jeff Marsh, following the antics of stepbrothers Phineas (voiced by Vincent Martella) and Ferb (voiced by Thomas Sangster). The show also enlisted the voice acting of Disney star Ashley Tisdale, who played their suspicious older sister Candace and her countless futile attempts to "bust" her brother. Phineas and Ferb was extremely well-produced and widely popular, winning a multitude of Daytime Emmy Awards.

Phineas and Ferb stood out against other series of its time, proving popular among adults as well as younger audiences. And its widespread popularity has led to the show remaining in the cultural zeitgeist. As well, a spin-off movie centered around Candace was brought to Disney+ in 2020, and two seasons of a revival for the series are currently in development.

2 Kim Possible

Kim Possible
Buena Vista Television 

Kim Possible has been one of the most recognizable Disney animated series of all time, let alone the decade of the 00s. The show follows Kim, a high school student who doubles as a secret agent, chronicling her many adventures as she fights crime and a wide array of villains while trying to survive being a teenager. The series was created by Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle, running for five seasons from 2002-2007. It also received two animated films, Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time, which premiered on November 28, 2003, and then Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama on April 8, 2005.

Kim Possible was a huge success, so much so that there have been discussions regarding a possible reboot. Kim Possible has proven to remain culturally relevant for the generation that grew up with the show, with Kim’s signature look appearing year after year as a Halloween costume across the world. The show was eventually adapted into a live-action reboot, starring Sadie Stanley in the titular role, that continued the legacy of the beloved Disney animated show from the 00s.

1 The Proud Family

The Proud Family
Buena Vista Television 

The Proud Family was an iconic addition to the Disney Television Animation landscape, running from 2001 to 2005. Bruce W. Smith was the creator of the hilarious series which followed the Proud Family, centering on the lead character Penny and growing up around her quirky and diverse family members. The Proud Family was a series not afraid to tackle concepts like race in an animated setting and helped introduce young viewers to many complex topics.

In February 2022, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder premiered on Disney+, bringing the series back and introducing a whole new generation of viewers to these wonderful characters. Season two premiered in February 2023, and in 2023, the revival made its linear cable premiere on both Disney Channel and Disney XD.